Flynn and Warner Open the National Championships on Friday

Mar 09, 2017

YORK, PA – The York College wrestling team has a pair of Spartans competing in this weekend's 2017 NCAA Division III National Championships in La-Crosse, Wisconsin. Senior Ryan Flynn and sophomore Greg Warner, who both qualified last year, are returning to the national tournament that will open on Friday, March 10 hosted by Wisconsin-La Crosse.

At each weight class, 18 men will be battling for the eight All-American spots throughout the weekend. Last year, Warner, who will be competing at 141-pounds, finished fifth at 141 pounds, earning All-American honors. Flynn is making his third consecutive appearance at the NCAA Championships, and will compete at 133 pounds.

"I am personally excited for both of these young men," said head coach Duane Bastress. "All the physical and mental preparation is done and now we get to go out and do what we love: compete."

Opening ceremonies are set for Friday at 11:15 a.m. EST with preliminary rounds beginning at 12 p.m. EST. Championship quarterfinals and the consolation second and third rounds will open at 7 p.m. EST on Friday night. Session three, comprised of the championship semifinals and the consolation quarters, semis and third-, fifth- and seventh-place matches, opens at 11 a.m. on Saturday morning. The finals will start at 8 p.m. EST.

Flynn bolstered his Spartan resume by capturing his third consecutive NCAA Mideast Regional championship at 133 pounds. His championship win over Oswego's Evan Corso marked his 19th straight win and 37th victory of the season, just three wins shy of Bastress' single-season record of 40 wins, when he went 40-0 and won his second straight national championship in 2005-06. Both of Flynn's losses this year came to Troy Stanich, of Stevens Institute of Technology, the top seed at nationals. Flynn is 128-32 in his career, and leads the team with 10 major decisions this season. The senior has managed one victory in the previous two years at nationals, but enters the weekend as the fourth seed.

"I am excited to see what the next few days hold for Ryan. We love where Ryan is in the bracket," Bastress said. "This will be his last run at an NCAA title, but he is focused and as calm as ever. That's what makes his special, he never lets the moment get too big and take him out of his game plan."

Warner is heading to his second NCAA Championships after finishing fifth, and as an All-American, last year at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The sophomore fell in his first match at 141 pounds at the NCAA Mideast Regional at York College, but charged back with six consecutive victories, including over the top seed Matthew Grossman, of Wilkes, in the third-place match to earn another trip to nationals. Similarly, at last year's NCAA Championships, Warner lost his first match to the top seed at 141 pounds before running off four straight wins to earn a podium finish. Warner is now 29-10 this year, and 59-21 for his career, and leads the team with seven tech falls. Warner will open on Friday in a pigtail match.

"We have been in this situation before with Greg," noted Bastress. Warner lost in a pigtail match to open nationals last year. "He has a knack for wrestling his best when the bright lights come on… he is mentally locked in and when he is, he is a dangerous opponent for anyone in the country.

"As always we will take one situation, one minute, one period and one match at a time. If we continue to follow that, both will come home with some hardware and could find themselves atop the podium on Saturday night," Bastress concluded.